


Welcome to the Dark Side

by englishrose2011



Series: The Dark Side [1]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Werewolves Are Known, Gen, alternate universe vampires are known
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-28
Updated: 2013-11-28
Packaged: 2018-01-02 20:33:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1061318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/englishrose2011/pseuds/englishrose2011
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There are two SHIELDS, one that exists in the light of day, and the one that exists in the shadows.<br/>The Dark Side of SHIELD is a dangerous place, where your nightmares carry a badge.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Welcome to the Dark Side

**Author's Note:**

> All Marvel Characters belong to their respective creators.  
> Agents of SHIELD belong to ABC Studios, Marvel Television, and Mutant Enemy.  
> I am just borrowing them for the ride. 
> 
> My thanks to Mary my beta reader, there would be no story without you.

The Present

Nighthawk Airfield (Location Classified)

The aircraft had landed at the Nighthawk airfield two days ago, allowing the team to enjoy some downtime. It was the first break they had had since the whole Reyes incident resulted in the aircraft being benched for eight days while undergoing extensive repairs due to the violent depressurization it had experienced at 30,000 feet.

After having the treadmill in the cargo bay as his only source of exercise Phil Coulson was keen to get some grass and gravel under his feet. So with dawn still only an hour away he exited the plane and set out to enjoy the scenery even if it was just limited to miles of wooded perimeter and high tech fencing.

He was halfway through his run when he realised he was no longer running alone. He could feel someone out there, they were keeping to the treeline just giving him teasing fleeting glimpses of movement as they kept pace with him. He knew the jogging path opened up about 15 yards ahead into a large clearing and whoever was out there would  be exposed. Phil slowed to a stop just as he reached the clearing and pulled out a bottle of water, watching and waiting.  He took a drink hoping to lure them out. Whatever was going to happen would happen now. If whoever was out there stalking him wanted a confrontation they would have to approach him on his terms.

The dog that emerged from the trees could have been mistaken for a Newfoundland at first but it was much too large, easily 145lbs with thick coarse looking black fur with grey mixed in and features that were more wolf than dog.

The dog, no ,wolf,  padded towards him only to stop at the edge of the clearing.   He dropped the water bottle and in the same move pulled the Glock from the small of his back holding it at the ready. Just then a second wolf came out of the wooded area, it was smaller and greyer in colour, the two animals exchanged a look then started towards him at a steady measured pace.

The wolves started shoulder to shoulder but as they drew closer they moved apart, then angled so they cut across each other, again, and again each time they crossed each other the distance between them was getting wider. He knew this was a calculated move so he  wouldn’t be able to keep both in view at the same time and would have to move his  head from side to side to track them causing a blind spot. As the distance between him and the wolves closed in, the smaller wolf suddenly barked and  made a lunge at him.

Seeing the movement out of the corner of his eye Phil’s head snapped round, taking a step back he swung his gun round to cover it. The larger wolf seized the opportunity and slammed it’s body in to him bowling him over and sending the gun flying from his hand. His back hit the hard ground and in a heartbeat the large wolf was on top of him.

It’s large paws pinned his shoulders to the ground,  its heavy body keeping him trapped.  He felt its hot breath on his face, it’s teeth only inch’s away from his bared throat……… when it’s tongue suddenly washed over his face as it licked him enthusiastically, the smaller wolf tugged at the sleeve of his sweat shirt careful to make sure it’s razor sharp teeth didn’t slice into his arm.

“Get off me Clint, and Nat you make a hole you mend it.”

The big wolf jumped off him and as he got to his knees Coulson reached out and began to fuss them as they jumped round him, competing for his attention.

 

0-0-0-0-0-0

Later on board the plane.

Skye was new to all this James Bond stuff as she liked to call the work they did. She had surprised herself by agreeing to start training under Grant Ward the teams specialist, which many of her former friends in the Rising Tide would see as a betrayal of their ideals. But for her it was a logical step, her job was not just sitting safely behind a laptop, she was in the field sharing the risks, and without some training she was a liability.

 Ward sat in the common room of the plane enjoying a coffee as he tried to catch up on his reading, only to find that Skye was more interested in where Coulson was and what he was doing.

“Agent Ward.” The voice was pleasant but with a slight huskiness to it that made Skye turn round, to see what the speaker looked like, she grinned. He was certainly eye candy for a lonely girl but before she could say anything Ward was coming to his feet fast, “Agent Barton, Sir.”

Skye could see the sudden loss of colour on Ward’s face at the new arrival. And this was from a man who had jumped out a plane with a parachute slung over one shoulder and a pressure syringe in the other to save Simmons’s life, without batting an eyelid.

But this newcomer had Ward scared.

“Have you read the Hunger games?” he picked up the iPad and scanned it, “or have you just watched the film?” Barton asked

“Read it, Sir, rather I’m reading it, he corrected”

The penny dropped as Skye remembered her conversation with Ward about the book, “He’s your SO.  Hi my names,” that was as far as she got the newcomer ignored her, dismissing her with a glance.

Ward just nodded as he concentrated on standing still as Barton did a slow 36o round him, he might be a Specialist, but Barton was so much more,  a master assassin and former hit man who had followed his handler Agent Coulson from the Dark side of SHIELD. A SHIELD that if Skye found out about would send her screaming off into the night and right into Barton’s sights, because the dark side was the one secret that never saw the light of day.

For that reason it took all of Ward’s training to stand still, and not flinch as Barton moved behind him, He was all to aware that his SO didn’t like failures, and just because Barton was known for his long distance hits, it didn’t mean that he couldn’t kill up close and personal when he wanted.  Ward blamed himself for allowing his team and especially Coulson to be put at risk on their last mission and that wasn’t going to go down well with Barton since Coulson was his personal handler.

Barton’s voice right against his ear made him flinch. “You allowed Reyes to endanger Coulson and your team Ward, and you allowed her to live.” Barton’s voice took on a deadly tone.

“He did a damn good job; he kept us all alive….” Skye started to interrupt and then trailed off as Barton glared at her. His blue grey eyes were ice cold and she couldn’t help but shudder as if someone had walked over her grave.  She had to look away, unable to hold his gaze any longer.

“Agent Barton.” Coulson said as he walked into the room, the mysterious Agent Barton turned and his face broke into a broad smile. “Sir.” He almost bounced in place.

“My office now, that’s if you’ve finished terrorising my team.” Coulson nodded at them and then disappeared up the stairs to his office. Barton took after Coulson taking the steps two at a time, and only then did Ward relax, dropping into a chair and downing his cold coffee in one gulp.

“Now I know what a mouse feels like.” Skye said, seeing Ward’s look she added “he was like cat with a mouse, it was like he……….”

“Cat? I should be so lucky.” Ward trailed off as he headed out of the common area towards his bunk without any more comments, leaving a puzzled Skye behind him. He had something to do before he spoke to Barton again, because the man was going to go through his reports with a fine tooth comb and heaven help him if he didn’t have all his ducks in a row. Barton was one of the best but he wasn’t known for his patience where Agent Coulson’s life was concerned.

0-0-0-0-0-0

 

Skye was noisy - she would be the first person to admit it - a trait that had helped her to become a world class hacker and AC as she liked to call Agent Coulson was a magnet for her.  There was just something about him that peeked her curiosity, he was an enigma, a puzzle she was still trying to solve. Now, she thought, was the perfect time to try and get a few answers from him. Taking a deep breath she raised her hand to knock on the door of Coulson’s office, only to have it jerked open before her hand made contact. Barton stood there blocking the entrance.

Whatever Skye was going to say was forgotten, she backed away, “I’ll come back later, err… much later, “as she turned away she heard the office door lock. It was a couple of hours later that Barton finally left the plane leaving a  relieved Grant Ward behind him.

0-0-0-0-0-0

Next morning Skye watched as Agent Coulson left the plane for his morning run.  It just blew her mind to see him dressed in jogging pants and an old faded SHIELD sweat shirt rather than his habitual black suits. The closest she had ever seen him to casual dress before that was a dove grey suit. Not exactly leisure wear in anyone’s books. Quickly she slipped out of the plane, her plan was simple she would casually join him half way through his run.

The only problem was this time he wasn’t alone. Keeping pace with him was a  monster of a dog. A German shepherd? , A Rottweiler?

Skye stepped out grinning “Hi AC,” and suddenly threw her hands up as she found herself looking down the barrel of Coulson’s handgun and at one royally pissed off dog.  The animal was in full attack mode standing between her and Coulson, its muzzle pulled back showing its teeth and growling low deep in its throat.

“I told you not to call me AC. It’s Coulson or Agent Coulson, your choice. I am your team leader and I expect you to show me the same courtesy that I show you.”

“But AC is so cool, Phil.” As soon as she spoke the dog lunged straight at her making her step back quickly her foot  caught on the edge of the path and deposited her on her back in the long grass.  Its point made, the dog turned and trotted back to Coulson.

Coulson didn’t apologize he just reached down and petted the dog’s head. The giant dog pushed its face against his hand as he fussed it the growling dying away.  “I have already explained that it is inappropriate to call me that. Also I would suggest in future you refrain from jumping out at people. It can be hazardous to your health.”

“I knew you wouldn’t shoot me, AC.” Skye said smugly as she got to her feet brushing the grass off her shorts. She started towards him only to stop as the dog’s head snapped around in her direction, baring its teeth again. Seeing the stony look Coulson gave her she said “yes Sir,” then added quickly “sorry Sir.”

She took another step back as the dog’s reaction to her voice was to start growling again, “I don’t understand it, dogs usually like me.”

Now if you’ll excuse us.”  Coulson turned to continue his run. The dog  started to trot after him then paused  and eerily turned back to favour her with one last blood chilling growl and a quick mocking  lunge that made her jump back with a cry of alarm. Coulson slowed to a walk when he heard her cry but when he spoke it was to the dog not her “you coming?”

The dog gave a bark and went after him, as it joined his master she heard Coulson say almost affectingly “you always have to have the last word; I thought I had cured you of that.”  The dog gave another bark in answer then danced in front of him before breaking into a trot again to keep up with Coulson .

0-0-0-0-0-0

By the time Skye returned back to the plane the other team members were having breakfast, she paused on her way to her room, “I didn’t know that AC had a dog, Ward?”

Ward looked up from the iPad he was reading, a piece of toast half way to his mouth. “It’s Agent Coulson, or don’t you think he’s earned your respect?””

“That’s why I call him AC.  He’s major cool and you didn’t answer the question.”

“No”

“No he doesn’t have a dog, Ward? Or no you’re not going to answer my question?”

“A dog?”

“You know, Ward, four feet? A tail? Sit and stay? ”

“What kind?”

“Big, mean, spent the whole time growling at me.”

“What did you do?”  Ward asked leaning forward.  She now had his whole attention.

“Jeeze nothing, just said HI to AC.”

 “You called him AC?”

“Sure. I am trying to get him used to the idea only it seemed to piss the dog off.”

“It would, If…..”

“If what,” Coulson said, as he came down the stairs from his office, his gaze fixed on Ward.

“Nothing Sir,” Ward got up, facing his team leader, Coulson was Sub-Director of the Dark Side and just as dangerous as Barton in every way only he hid it under a suit and an ice cool demeaner.

“Good,” Coulson said then added “May, I want wheels up in 30, we have a 0-8-4 reported in Iowa,” he looked round at this team, “What are you waiting for?,” turning on his heels he started back to his office, only pausing to add. “And May, we will be dropping Agent Barton off mid-flight.”

“Landing where.” Skye asked hoping it might give her an idea as to where the mysterious base was situated.

Coulson smiled at her “the clue is the word mid-flight Skye, it’s the reason parachutes where invented.”  


End file.
